Tales from today's commute....

[Blurb]

Stopped by my LBS to get some replacement mudguards for the ones destroyed by 2400 miles of potholed London roads. Luckily they had a part set left in their spares and got them for a fiver! Gingerly rode the remaining 4 miles home, one hand on bars and one gripping my bargain, ooh err missus.

 

[HLaB]

Well that was different

 

[Ollie W]

Finally regained access to my interim Rockhopper after the flat management fixed the shed, so I celebrated with a big ride (well, 2.6 miles each way... felt like more) across Shirley and up to the first ballroom lesson of the year at the university. Went in my new bib shorts which was a bit silly... it was bloody freezing!

Got me thinking about my next bike though (assuming the Crosstrail is gone). The Rockhopper has slicks on and I could feel the advantage, even though the bike seemed to need more effort as a whole (probably as it's two inches smaller than my Crosstrail was). I could feel the bumps quite badly on Southampton common, especially down Lover's Walk. A roadie bike would be really good for my main use - commuting - but maybe I'd got it right with the Crosstrail or a CX given that there's a big old common right next to me. Why is it all so complicated?!

http://www.strava.com/activities/88078127

 

[Vikeonabike]

Well that was different

Take it you and the bike are still in one piece! Did they say they are knocking the driver off for due care at all?

 

[MisterStan]

Wheeeeee! Tremendous tailwind this morning to repay my efforts for slogging it home last night. Only problem is that the wind is going to get stronger today and won't be turning around!

21.7 mph average - my fastest commute to date.....

 

[BSRU]

Valve failure after 6km, so change the tube, realise second spare tube is at home in the garage.
As I do not want to risk riding in the countryside without a spare tube I cycle home, had a nice cup of tea to warm me up as it's freezing.
So due to tube problems only a short ride in today, just 24km.
Thank you to the lady walking her dog who offered me her torch, fortunately I found a bus shelter with illuminated advertising, so I had plenty of light.

 

[400bhp]

Why can't I go as fast in the mornings? :-(

 

[mangid]

Massive tailwind once I reached the turn (that was after 2 hours of slog out), followed by 25minutes of my legs spinning like buggery, not often I'm wanting for gears.

 

[HLaB]

Take it you and the bike are still in one piece! Did they say they are knocking the driver off for due care at all?

The bike seem in better state than me (but my main injury is limited to my right calf, thank god the hill climb was last week ); just the brake lever needing straightened on the face of it; it held together for the tailwind assisted ride to work and thankfully I didn't have to use the calf (going home might be different ).

Your colleagues didn't say what the next step was to be if any.

 

[HLaB]

Massive tailwind once I reached the turn (that was after 2 hours of slog out), followed by 25minutes of my legs spinning like buggery, not often I'm wanting for gears.

Look nice out there but there was no chance of me spinning like b#ggery, I chose the tailwind assisted more direct route. I'm dreading going home already but decided it was best to get back on the steed ASAP.

 

[MisterStan]

Well that was different

The bike seem in better state than me (but my main injury is limited to my right calf, thank god the hill climb was last week ); just the brake lever needing straightened on the face of it; it held together for the tailwind assisted ride to work and thankfully I didn't have to use the calf (going home might be different ).

Your colleagues didn't say what the next step was to be if any.

Spill the beans then. What happened?

 

[HLaB]

Spill the beans then. What happened?

I'm not 100% sure, but do you know the road out of Bretton to the village or Marholm (Walton Road). As I was cycling towards the village at about the point pictured somebody drove into the back of me. Thankfully, I think it was a wing mirror contact but I cant work out why my right calf is feic'd when the other (thankfully minor) injuries suggest I came down on my left
She said she never saw me because of the sun, FFS I know it was bright but if you cant see you put your visor down and slow down; maybe she was blinded by my bright red gilet, bright blue foldable bag, yellow tyres and 7LED flashing. Her reasoning she should have wore her sun glasses, I think she should have worn some other kind of glasses

The only consolation, it was a bit colder and I was wrapped up a bit which seems to have protected me a bit from the tarmac.

 

[MisterStan]

I think I've driven that road before. From the Google pic, it looks fairly clear - sounds like a classic SMIDSY (or should that be SMIWL(Sorry Mate I Wasn't Looking)/SMISBWG(Sorry Mate I Should BE Wearing Glasses). I take it that she stopped and that the police were called? Any damage to the bike?

 

[BSRU]

I'm not 100% sure, but do you know the road out of Bretton to the village or Marholm (Walton Road). As I was cycling towards the village at about the point pictured somebody drove into the back of me. Thankfully, I think it was a wing mirror contact but I cant work out why my right calf is feic'd when the other (thankfully minor) injuries suggest I came down on my left
She said she never saw me because of the sun, FFS I know it was bright but if you cant see you put your visor down and slow down; maybe she was blinded by my bright red gilet, bright blue foldable bag, yellow tyres and 7LED flashing. Her reasoning she should have wore her sun glasses, I think she should have worn some other kind of glasses

The only consolation, it was a bit colder and I was wrapped up a bit which seems to have protected me a bit from the tarmac.

Sounds like a driver incapable of adapting their driving to the prevailing conditions

 

[donnydave]

Massive tail wind, annoyingly due to very rare use I couldn't get top gear so had to spin along in 50-12 instead of full throttle 50-11. Looks like we are all going to repay our debt to mother nature tonight with an even more enormous headwind